5 days ago
'Demoralised': 81-year-old in 'agony' after 15-month home care wait
As the Senate prepares to launch an inquiry into home care wait times, an 81-year-old says he has been left "disheartened", "demoralised" and in "agony" as his 15-month wait for his own package continues.
Alan Pawley said he had previously fought to secure the appropriate package for his now deceased wife, Lynette, and has been waiting to be assigned his own package since April 2024.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has been contacted for comment.
The federal government will release 83,000 new home care packages under the Support At Home Program when the new Aged Care Act comes into effect on November 1, but there are currently more than 87,000 people waiting to be assigned a package.
Read more from The Senior
Advocates and crossbench Senators had lobbied for the government to release 20,000 new packages on July 1. The Senate voted to launch an inquiry into wait times on July 28.
Mr Pawley says he was approved for a Level 2 home care package in April last year and was told he would have a three-to-six-month wait to be assigned a package.
Mr Pawley did not follow up on the status of his package until February this year because he was caring for his wife, Lynette, who was living with dementia, had suffered two strokes and multiple seizures.
Two months after recontacting My Aged Care, he said he received a phone call, once again telling him his package had been approved. He was told he would have an additional 9-12 months wait until he was assigned a package.
"Tell me if that's not disheartening and you know, totally demoralising," he said.
"How many more times are they going to shift the goalposts? They're hoping that I'm going to fall off the perch before they have to provide me with any level of care."
The Bribie Island resident said after informing My Aged Care that he had previously been approved for a package, he was told he was eligible for a Commonwealth Home Support Package, but that no packages were currently available in his area.
By May, his wait time was revised to three months.
Prior to Lynette's death on June 19, the couple had been receiving support services through her home care package.
Mr Pawley is now living without support services as he waits for a his own package to be assigned. He said maintaining his home is becoming increasingly difficult due to a debilitating shoulder injury.
"I can drag a vacuum cleaner around the house, but you try using a mop with one arm," he said.
"I do mop the floor, but by the time I'm finished ... my shoulder's screaming in agony."
Mr Pawley said he had previously faced a battle to get Lynette on the appropriate home care package.
She had initially been assigned a Level 1 package, the lowest level package for people with basic care needs. As her condition worsened, My Aged Care offered to upgrade her to a Level 2 package. But Mr Pawley insisted she needed a Level 4, the package reserved for people with the highest priority needs.
"I said, send out all your experts and have a look at the situation, and I kept at them until they finally sent someone out," he said.
"They took one look... and conceded she needed a Level 4 and... she was on it, you know, in a very short order."
While wait times for high-priority recipients of all package levels are generally under a month, wait times for people assessed to be of medium priority continue to blow out.
At the end of September last year, average wait times were 1-3 months for Level 1 packages, 3-6 months for Level 2 packages, 9-12 months for Level 3 packages and 12-15 months for Level 4 packages.
According to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the average wait time for all medium priority packages that were approved in June this year is currently 9-12 months.
Replying to a previous enquiry on July 25, a department spokesperson said wait times are dependent on a number of factors, including the number of available packages and the number of people waiting for support.
They said the government acknowledges there will continue to be high demand for packages and that waiting to access packages has a real impact on older people.
"Until November 1, the department will continue releasing packages every week to people assessed as needing in-home care through the Home Care Packages Program," they said.
The spokesman said those who need urgent access to home care will continue to receive packages within a month.
They said that 99 per cent of people waiting for home care are already receiving a lower-level package or have been approved for Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) services.
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
As the Senate prepares to launch an inquiry into home care wait times, an 81-year-old says he has been left "disheartened", "demoralised" and in "agony" as his 15-month wait for his own package continues.
Alan Pawley said he had previously fought to secure the appropriate package for his now deceased wife, Lynette, and has been waiting to be assigned his own package since April 2024.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has been contacted for comment.
The federal government will release 83,000 new home care packages under the Support At Home Program when the new Aged Care Act comes into effect on November 1, but there are currently more than 87,000 people waiting to be assigned a package.
Read more from The Senior
Advocates and crossbench Senators had lobbied for the government to release 20,000 new packages on July 1. The Senate voted to launch an inquiry into wait times on July 28.
Mr Pawley says he was approved for a Level 2 home care package in April last year and was told he would have a three-to-six-month wait to be assigned a package.
Mr Pawley did not follow up on the status of his package until February this year because he was caring for his wife, Lynette, who was living with dementia, had suffered two strokes and multiple seizures.
Two months after recontacting My Aged Care, he said he received a phone call, once again telling him his package had been approved. He was told he would have an additional 9-12 months wait until he was assigned a package.
"Tell me if that's not disheartening and you know, totally demoralising," he said.
"How many more times are they going to shift the goalposts? They're hoping that I'm going to fall off the perch before they have to provide me with any level of care."
The Bribie Island resident said after informing My Aged Care that he had previously been approved for a package, he was told he was eligible for a Commonwealth Home Support Package, but that no packages were currently available in his area.
By May, his wait time was revised to three months.
Prior to Lynette's death on June 19, the couple had been receiving support services through her home care package.
Mr Pawley is now living without support services as he waits for a his own package to be assigned. He said maintaining his home is becoming increasingly difficult due to a debilitating shoulder injury.
"I can drag a vacuum cleaner around the house, but you try using a mop with one arm," he said.
"I do mop the floor, but by the time I'm finished ... my shoulder's screaming in agony."
Mr Pawley said he had previously faced a battle to get Lynette on the appropriate home care package.
She had initially been assigned a Level 1 package, the lowest level package for people with basic care needs. As her condition worsened, My Aged Care offered to upgrade her to a Level 2 package. But Mr Pawley insisted she needed a Level 4, the package reserved for people with the highest priority needs.
"I said, send out all your experts and have a look at the situation, and I kept at them until they finally sent someone out," he said.
"They took one look... and conceded she needed a Level 4 and... she was on it, you know, in a very short order."
While wait times for high-priority recipients of all package levels are generally under a month, wait times for people assessed to be of medium priority continue to blow out.
At the end of September last year, average wait times were 1-3 months for Level 1 packages, 3-6 months for Level 2 packages, 9-12 months for Level 3 packages and 12-15 months for Level 4 packages.
According to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the average wait time for all medium priority packages that were approved in June this year is currently 9-12 months.
Replying to a previous enquiry on July 25, a department spokesperson said wait times are dependent on a number of factors, including the number of available packages and the number of people waiting for support.
They said the government acknowledges there will continue to be high demand for packages and that waiting to access packages has a real impact on older people.
"Until November 1, the department will continue releasing packages every week to people assessed as needing in-home care through the Home Care Packages Program," they said.
The spokesman said those who need urgent access to home care will continue to receive packages within a month.
They said that 99 per cent of people waiting for home care are already receiving a lower-level package or have been approved for Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) services.
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
As the Senate prepares to launch an inquiry into home care wait times, an 81-year-old says he has been left "disheartened", "demoralised" and in "agony" as his 15-month wait for his own package continues.
Alan Pawley said he had previously fought to secure the appropriate package for his now deceased wife, Lynette, and has been waiting to be assigned his own package since April 2024.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has been contacted for comment.
The federal government will release 83,000 new home care packages under the Support At Home Program when the new Aged Care Act comes into effect on November 1, but there are currently more than 87,000 people waiting to be assigned a package.
Read more from The Senior
Advocates and crossbench Senators had lobbied for the government to release 20,000 new packages on July 1. The Senate voted to launch an inquiry into wait times on July 28.
Mr Pawley says he was approved for a Level 2 home care package in April last year and was told he would have a three-to-six-month wait to be assigned a package.
Mr Pawley did not follow up on the status of his package until February this year because he was caring for his wife, Lynette, who was living with dementia, had suffered two strokes and multiple seizures.
Two months after recontacting My Aged Care, he said he received a phone call, once again telling him his package had been approved. He was told he would have an additional 9-12 months wait until he was assigned a package.
"Tell me if that's not disheartening and you know, totally demoralising," he said.
"How many more times are they going to shift the goalposts? They're hoping that I'm going to fall off the perch before they have to provide me with any level of care."
The Bribie Island resident said after informing My Aged Care that he had previously been approved for a package, he was told he was eligible for a Commonwealth Home Support Package, but that no packages were currently available in his area.
By May, his wait time was revised to three months.
Prior to Lynette's death on June 19, the couple had been receiving support services through her home care package.
Mr Pawley is now living without support services as he waits for a his own package to be assigned. He said maintaining his home is becoming increasingly difficult due to a debilitating shoulder injury.
"I can drag a vacuum cleaner around the house, but you try using a mop with one arm," he said.
"I do mop the floor, but by the time I'm finished ... my shoulder's screaming in agony."
Mr Pawley said he had previously faced a battle to get Lynette on the appropriate home care package.
She had initially been assigned a Level 1 package, the lowest level package for people with basic care needs. As her condition worsened, My Aged Care offered to upgrade her to a Level 2 package. But Mr Pawley insisted she needed a Level 4, the package reserved for people with the highest priority needs.
"I said, send out all your experts and have a look at the situation, and I kept at them until they finally sent someone out," he said.
"They took one look... and conceded she needed a Level 4 and... she was on it, you know, in a very short order."
While wait times for high-priority recipients of all package levels are generally under a month, wait times for people assessed to be of medium priority continue to blow out.
At the end of September last year, average wait times were 1-3 months for Level 1 packages, 3-6 months for Level 2 packages, 9-12 months for Level 3 packages and 12-15 months for Level 4 packages.
According to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the average wait time for all medium priority packages that were approved in June this year is currently 9-12 months.
Replying to a previous enquiry on July 25, a department spokesperson said wait times are dependent on a number of factors, including the number of available packages and the number of people waiting for support.
They said the government acknowledges there will continue to be high demand for packages and that waiting to access packages has a real impact on older people.
"Until November 1, the department will continue releasing packages every week to people assessed as needing in-home care through the Home Care Packages Program," they said.
The spokesman said those who need urgent access to home care will continue to receive packages within a month.
They said that 99 per cent of people waiting for home care are already receiving a lower-level package or have been approved for Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) services.
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
As the Senate prepares to launch an inquiry into home care wait times, an 81-year-old says he has been left "disheartened", "demoralised" and in "agony" as his 15-month wait for his own package continues.
Alan Pawley said he had previously fought to secure the appropriate package for his now deceased wife, Lynette, and has been waiting to be assigned his own package since April 2024.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has been contacted for comment.
The federal government will release 83,000 new home care packages under the Support At Home Program when the new Aged Care Act comes into effect on November 1, but there are currently more than 87,000 people waiting to be assigned a package.
Read more from The Senior
Advocates and crossbench Senators had lobbied for the government to release 20,000 new packages on July 1. The Senate voted to launch an inquiry into wait times on July 28.
Mr Pawley says he was approved for a Level 2 home care package in April last year and was told he would have a three-to-six-month wait to be assigned a package.
Mr Pawley did not follow up on the status of his package until February this year because he was caring for his wife, Lynette, who was living with dementia, had suffered two strokes and multiple seizures.
Two months after recontacting My Aged Care, he said he received a phone call, once again telling him his package had been approved. He was told he would have an additional 9-12 months wait until he was assigned a package.
"Tell me if that's not disheartening and you know, totally demoralising," he said.
"How many more times are they going to shift the goalposts? They're hoping that I'm going to fall off the perch before they have to provide me with any level of care."
The Bribie Island resident said after informing My Aged Care that he had previously been approved for a package, he was told he was eligible for a Commonwealth Home Support Package, but that no packages were currently available in his area.
By May, his wait time was revised to three months.
Prior to Lynette's death on June 19, the couple had been receiving support services through her home care package.
Mr Pawley is now living without support services as he waits for a his own package to be assigned. He said maintaining his home is becoming increasingly difficult due to a debilitating shoulder injury.
"I can drag a vacuum cleaner around the house, but you try using a mop with one arm," he said.
"I do mop the floor, but by the time I'm finished ... my shoulder's screaming in agony."
Mr Pawley said he had previously faced a battle to get Lynette on the appropriate home care package.
She had initially been assigned a Level 1 package, the lowest level package for people with basic care needs. As her condition worsened, My Aged Care offered to upgrade her to a Level 2 package. But Mr Pawley insisted she needed a Level 4, the package reserved for people with the highest priority needs.
"I said, send out all your experts and have a look at the situation, and I kept at them until they finally sent someone out," he said.
"They took one look... and conceded she needed a Level 4 and... she was on it, you know, in a very short order."
While wait times for high-priority recipients of all package levels are generally under a month, wait times for people assessed to be of medium priority continue to blow out.
At the end of September last year, average wait times were 1-3 months for Level 1 packages, 3-6 months for Level 2 packages, 9-12 months for Level 3 packages and 12-15 months for Level 4 packages.
According to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the average wait time for all medium priority packages that were approved in June this year is currently 9-12 months.
Replying to a previous enquiry on July 25, a department spokesperson said wait times are dependent on a number of factors, including the number of available packages and the number of people waiting for support.
They said the government acknowledges there will continue to be high demand for packages and that waiting to access packages has a real impact on older people.
"Until November 1, the department will continue releasing packages every week to people assessed as needing in-home care through the Home Care Packages Program," they said.
The spokesman said those who need urgent access to home care will continue to receive packages within a month.
They said that 99 per cent of people waiting for home care are already receiving a lower-level package or have been approved for Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) services.
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
